


Old Friends

by WrittenInCinnamon



Series: Tell Me Your Story | NationsRevealed!AU [2]
Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Angst, Comfort, Gen, Self-Hatred, Swearing, nations revealed
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-17
Updated: 2020-11-17
Packaged: 2021-03-10 06:47:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 851
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27609209
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WrittenInCinnamon/pseuds/WrittenInCinnamon
Summary: After a harsh day, England visits a bar he used to come to regularly. A man who works there reminds him not to let the public opinion get to him too much.
Series: Tell Me Your Story | NationsRevealed!AU [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1695538
Comments: 6
Kudos: 25





	Old Friends

In short, England had had a bad day.

He had had worse, sure, he lived through way too much war and stuff. This day was still exhausting though.

It's been half a year since the Nation Secret stopped being a secret. Half a year since he suddenly had to deal with public opinion of him. He had to really control himself with what he said and did. And the contempt some of them still felt was taking its toll on him, given that his thoughts were influenced by the thoughts of his people.

He sighed.

He'll go to his favourite bar in Manchester. He hadn't been there since the reveal and, who knows, maybe getting a bit tipsy was what he needed to relax?

Standing right next to the London Bridge, he closed his eyes and took a step forward. When he opened them, he was in the Albert Square.

Noone paid him much mind. Even though he was now known to the public, a Nation's natural ability to easily slip from people's minds still worked. And now even the few who had noticed him appear weren't bewildered that's a thing that could happen. Unlikely? Sure. But not impossible anymore.

He strode towards the place he'd been visiting for over a decade now. It was a rather small place, but it had its charm. The style of decoration reminded him of the pubs all the way back when knights were a thing.

With a second of hesitance, he entered the familiar establishment.

There weren't too many people inside - just a group of three guys and a couple. And the barman, of course.

He took a few steps towards the counter before the man who's worked here for years noticed him and said "Arthur! It's been some time, huh? Glad to see ya' again. Or wait, is it 'England' now?"

"Nice to see you again as well, Tom," the Nation replied and sat on one of the chairs. "And, uhm, it's whichever you like better. Arthur doesn't mean much to me besides that I learned to respond to it."

"Ah, I see," the middle-aged man replied while turning to get the drink he knew the other would likely ask for. "And how have ya' been?"

The blonde shrugged before saying "About as well as you'd expect with the secret being out and all," It was probably weird he'd talk to a random human like that, but he has known the man for long enough to feel... safe telling him.

"The AbomiNATIONS guys, yea?" Tom asked.

"Yes," England replied as he took his glass and almost downed it all in one go.

"Doesn't that violate hate crime laws or somethin'?" the other questioned.

"I don't have human status." the Nation muttered in response.

"That's nonesense, Artie! Ya look human to me," Tom assured.

England chuckled before saying "Want me to tell you your family's history further than even documentation goes? Or maybe want me to call France so that he can describe how it feels to be guillotined? Oh, or maybe I should bring you something from London's giftshop? It's just a few minutes away for me." He was speaking in a sarcastic, yet slightly wavering tone. Then, quieter "I was a bad person by today's standards." He really had enough of hearing how all of the above makes them unnatural and wrong.

"Well, does that make ya any less of a sentient being? I mean, ya're hella old, but it just means y'know lots of things most people do not. And ya might've been there to see or even tale part in atrocities, but seeing bad things doesn't make anyone less human," he concluded and shrugged, handing his pal another round.

A warm feeling spread throughout England's being, and it wasn't the alcohol.

Personal love from the citizens didn't exactly fuel him like patriotism did, but it felt nice in a different way.

"Thank you, Tom," the Nation sighed, giving a small smile. It was no doubt intoxicating happiness for the man - having your Nation happy with you did these things to a person, just as having them disappointed spawned guilt.

They sat in companionable silence for a few minutes, as England got his third drink this evening. This place's stuff was bloody good.

"Yeah, who do these wankers think they are!" the Nation exclaimed suddenly. "I am the bloody British Empire," he continued, his accent getting thicker and his movements more animated. "I've had the biggest territory in recorded history. I was a bastion of resistance when most of Europe had fallen to the nazis. I was a bloody fucking badass. A world power. Some goddamn PR won't best me!" 

Tom smiled just a little, seeing the Nation regain his self-confidence.

England noted with the back of his intoxicated mind that one of those youngsters was filming this. But that was a problem for the future England to worry about. Right now he let himself get drunk on the alcohol and his people's twinge of pride as he reminds them of their power, not being helpless at all, loud and proud.

**Author's Note:**

> Am I the only one who feels England would get a lot of crap from the public if Nations were revealed? Like, besides the crap all of them would get for "leeching on society" or whatever haters of Nations would call it.
> 
> Anyway, just a short idea, hope it's likeable :)


End file.
